[wayoutthere]

This may be somewhat cynical, but housing policy in the US continues to be one of the main tools in systemic oppression of minorities. There are powerful segments of the population who are fine with the status quo and will not be happy if "they" move in next door. So they will do everything they can to "keep property values high" in suburban neighborhoods -- which has historically been a dog whistle for "keep minorities out" -- and in direct opposition to creating more affordable housing.

[toomuchtodo]

It'll take decades to "fix" housing policy through upzoning and waiting for the existing population of homeowners to shrink (freeing up housing stock). I don't disagree that there are challenges due to the status quo, but remote work is a fix that can be implemented today and can help lift the wages of folks who might not otherwise be able to have those roles.

You're not going to be able to change property rights in the US, so the problem may be unfixable to be frank, and those property rights are what keeps property values high.

[wayoutthere]

I agree remote work is the right way to go, but the affordable housing crisis can't be fixed through any other method than "build more housing". Every other thing that people propose is designed to protect property value by not building more housing. We simply have to make housing less scarce and yes, that will drive down property value. That's kind of the point.

[toomuchtodo]

Right, but until you have the ability to upzone or “build more”, it’s a moot point.

If you don’t own the land, and you can’t push through upzoning legislation, you’re not building more housing.